5 shots, 4/6 aerial duels, 1 goal: this energetic player was one of United’s few bright performers vs Brighton

It was an evening to forget at Old Trafford as Manchester United bowed out of the FA Cup. While they dominated proceedings for much of the encounter, they failed to make the most of their chances as Brighton defeated them 2-1. Although there were very few positives to take away from the match, Benjamin Sesko proved to be one of the few strong performers on the day. His goal-scoring continues The most obvious highlight of Sesko’s game was his goal, which was a well-positioned header from a late corner kick. This was a welcome sight from the striker, who scored two goals during United’s previous match against Burnley. Still, Sesko’s performance wasn’t only limited to one impressive moment. A constant threat PlayerBenjamin Sesko Goals1 Assists0 Total shots5 Shots on target3 Shots blocked1 Offsides4 Touches19 Unsuccessful touches2 Dribbles (successful)0 (0) Was fouled1 Possession lost6 Key passes0 Crosses (accurate)0 (0) Accurate passes4/7 (57%) Passes in opposition half (acc.)1/4 (25%) Passes in own half (acc.)3/3 (100%) Def. contributions1 Tackles (won)1 (0) Interceptions0 Clearances0 Blocked shots0 Ground duels (won)3 (2) Aerial duels (won)6 (4) Dribbled past0 Sesko got three shots on target – the most of any player from either side – in addition to one shot off target, while another shot of his was blocked. Early in the match, he did well to dispossess Brajan Gruda on the edge of the box, with Diogo Dalot unfortunately missing with his subsequent shot. Straight after the second-half kick-off, he took a decent attempt on goal that the keeper did well to parry. The Slovenian had just 19 touches in total, making the most of his limited time on the ball. Only four of his seven passes reached their target. Still, his physicality was impressive. The striker won four of his six aerial duels, along with two of three ground battles. While United left a lot to be desired on the day, it was a welcome sight to see Sesko continue to adjust well to life at Old Trafford. (Stats via Sofascore) Featured image Jan Kruger via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Mathew Cohen A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.